FA close in on 2018 World Cup bid chief

The Football Association will move a step closer to appointing a chief
executive to the England 2018 World Cup bid on Thursday when the full board
receives an update on the short-list of candidates for the position.

By Paul Kelso

12:20AM GMT 30 Oct 2008

The FA is understood to have narrowed the field to fewer that six candidates and the board will be given an update on progress. Lord Triesman, the FA chairman, has indicated that he wants the chief executive in place early in November.

Phil Beard, chief executive of the O2 arena and Andy Anson, the former commercial director of Manchester United, are among those linked with the post.

The board will also shortlist the candidates for the bid's chief operating officer, a role currently filled by Simon Johnson.

The FA board will also look at the job specification for the FA chief executive, a recruitment process prompted by the departure of Brian Barwick.

The meeting is the first since Triesman, calling for a “grown-up debate”, criticised the levels of indebtedness in the Premier League and questioned the effectiveness of financial regulation, a move that irritated many of the leading clubs and did nothing to improve relations between Soho Square and Gloucester Place.

Triesman's comments were backed by Culture secretary Andy Burnham who has subsequently written to the FA, Premier League and Football League asking for their observations on seven areas of concern he has highlighted.

Triesman will press the board to engage constructively with Burnham's request, but could face criticism from the board for speaking out as he did.